The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to watering systems, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for adjustable unattended feeding and watering of potted plants.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The feeding and watering of potted plants, in many instances, is a hit or miss proposition, that is, depending on the particular owner of the plant, the plant may or may not be watered on a proper schedule. Furthermore, the watering may involve more or less than the plant requires, and with most plants, different schedules and amounts are attempted to arrive at the proper watering. Devices have been developed in an attempt to provide some regulated flow of water, depending on the moisture content within the soil. However, different plants require different soil moisture contents. Some such methods employ drip irrigation, or utilization of wick members for transferring water between a reservoir and the soil.
One such watering system is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,029,107, entitled "Plant Watering Device", which issued to Couls on June 11, 1912, such device consisting of an annular reservoir having a plurality of holes therein and configured for being buried in the ground about the roots of a tree with an above ground tube filler portion. Water control is effected through a float member.
Another watering system for potted plants is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,231,975, entitled "Watering Attachment for Flower Pots", such patent being issued to Weitzel, 2d, on July 3, 1917. In accordance with this device, an annular reservoir is configured for attachment to the upper part of the pot, with a threadable valve member controlling the drip rate of water therefrom through a tube within the soil of the plant. Another such device is shown in another Weitzel, 2d, patent, that being U.S. Pat. No. 1,231,976, entitled "Regulator for Pot Watering Devices", issued on July 3, 1917, the patent being directed to a another regulated drip watering device.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,400,628, issued Dec. 20, 1921, to Rudolph, for "Self Irrigating Flowerpot", the patent being directed to a flower pot with an integral or attachable annular reservoir, with an absorbent member in flow communication with the water therein and with the soil.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,620,277, entitled "Magazine Lubricating Means", issued on Mar. 8, 1927, to Myers, and discloses an oil lubrication device using a wick member for transferring oil from a reservoir to an opening in flow communication with a bearing.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,651,884, entitled "Self-Irrigating Plant Receptacle", issued on Sept. 15, 1953, to Werner, and discloses a receptacle with a watering reservoir in the base thereof, with a mechanism for controlling the flow of water to the soil within the receptacle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,747,332, entitled "Flower Pot Watering Device", issued May 29, 1956, to Morehouse, such patent describing a reservoir with a wick extending from the reservoir to the soil, the soil implanted portion being contained within a tube, with the wick extending therefrom. Regulation of flow is effected by constricting bands adjustably spaced on the wick portion within the reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,121, entitled "Plant Irrigating Device", issued July 16, 1957, to Modeweg, and discloses a system using a tub-shaped reservoir with a plurality of water transfer devices, each including a tube through which passes a wick, with the tube retained on the reservoir by spring hook members, the soil engaging end of the wick including a nozzle member thereabout. Flow control is effected by a wedge member urged into the tube to compress the wick.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,005,287, entitled "Mulch and Plant Feeder", issued Aug. 24, 1961, to Dudley, and discloses an annular plate member having a funnel-shaped cross-section for placement about the base of a tree, or the like, for retaining water and directing the same downwardly through the apex of the funnel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,069,807, entitled "Device for Watering and Feeding Plants, Flowers, and the Like", issued Dec. 25, 1962, to Wall, such device including a reservoir for attachment to the side of a pot, with a tubular member extending from the reservoir into the lower part of the interior of the pot, with the lowest part having a plurality of openings for dispersing water from the reservoir by combined siphon and capillary action.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,043, entitled "Cultivation Tray Having Moisture Control", issued Oct. 8, 1963, to Ferrand, such device having a divided tray with a funnel shaped bottom, with the upper part holding the soil, and the lower part holding water.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,125, entitled "System for Controlling the Moisture Content of Soil", issued July 19, 1966, to Arkebauer, and discloses a pot partition for containing water beneath the plant within the pot, with a moisture responsive element controlling flow of water therefrom to the soil.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,310, entitled "Water level Indicating and Control Construction", issued Oct. 19, 1971, to Rynberk, and shows telescopically engaged inner and outer tubular members, with the outer member being perforated and insertable into the ground for watering, the inner member being slidable relative thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,629, entitled "Marking Devices", issued Aug. 3, 1976, to Whalen, Jr., and discloses a marking device, such as a pen having a tubular body with a felt tip extending out therefrom with an absorbent wick within the body in spaced relation to the felt tip, with a moisture sensitive component expandable and contractable to control flow from the wick to the tip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,143, entitled "Plant Watering Reminder", issued Jan. 10, 1978, to Alwell, and discloses a peripheral removable reservoir attachable to a pot, with perforated tubular members having wicks therein positioned in depending relation to the reservoir for transfer of fluid therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,938, entitled "Tree Watering Device", issued May 9, 1978, to Koch, and shows a radially slotted tub-like irrigator which engages the tree trunk and delivers water thereto in a controlled manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,951, entitled "Apparatus for Supplying Fluids to Potted Plants", issued Sept. 26, 1978, to Becker, and shows a container having a downwardly angularly depending perforated tubular spiked portion for soil engagement with a wick therein transferring fluid from within the container into the perforated tube, the tube being provided with a variable area aperture at the lower end thereof, with a sliding door, which serves to vary the area of the wick exposed to the soil therethrough, and compress the effective cross-section of the wick at the end thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,992, entitled "Tree Protector", issued May 26, 1981, to Scharf, and discloses an annular base member for encircling the base of the tree above ground, and for forming a water retention tray, with perforated tubular spike members depending therefrom into the ground, for both holding the base member in position and for transferring water from the tray to the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,309, entitled "Plant Feeding Device", issued Nov. 17, 1981, to Mincy, the device including a soil penetrating porous spike member having a centrally extending opening with a plastic sleeve therein having a longitudinally extending slot for controlling the flow of water therethrough to the porous spike.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,666, entitled "Plant Waterers", issued June 29, 1982, to Caso, the device including a toroidal reservoir for placement around the stalk of the plant with perforated tubular spike members depending therefrom into soil engaging contact for transferring fluid therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,829, entitled "Moisture Control Apparatus", issued Feb. 14, 1984, to Zeltner, et al., such device including a reservoir for fluid, with a first fabric to be immersed therein and to move into and out of contact with a second fabric to transfer moisture to the second fabric and then to an absorbent fabric underlying the soil, with the movement into and out of contact being effected by a lever, the position of which is controlled by means of a moisture-responsive stretchable and shrinkable material which senses the moisture condition adjacent the upper region of the soil.
Of the above patents, only three are deemed to be relevant to the invention herein, these being the last mentioned, to Zeltner et al., and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,972,629 to Whalen, Jr., and 4,115,951, to Becker. The Whalen patent, although directed to a felt tip marker pen, deals with the problems associated with fluid transfer in absorbent materials.
Such prior art devices for plant watering and feeding have tended to be unduly complicated, such as exemplified by Zeltner's device. In the Becker device, the primary method of control is embedded in the soil, thus lending little to ready adjustability.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved adjustable plant feeding and watering method and apparatus.